| "Silhouettes" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single bythe Rays | |
| B-side | "Daddy Cool" |
| Released | 1957 |
| Recorded | 1957 |
| Genre | Doo-wop |
| Length | 2:45 |
| Label | XYZ;Cameo |
| Songwriters | Bob Crewe,Frank Slay |
| Producers | Bob Crewe, Frank Slay |
"Silhouettes" is a song made famous by the Americandoo-wop groupthe Rays in 1957, peaking at number three on the USBillboard Hot 100. A competing version bythe Diamonds was also successful. In 1965 it was a number 5 hit in the US forHerman's Hermits, and in 1990 it was a number 10 hit in the UK forCliff Richard.
In May 1957,songwriterBob Crewe saw a couple embracing through a windowshade as he passed on a train. He quickly set about turning the image into a song.Frank Slay, who owned the small Philadelphia record label XYZ with Crewe, added lyrics, and they soon had a complete song ready to record.[1]
The story has frequently been reported that Slay heardthe Rays audition forCameo-Parkway Records, for which he worked, and immediately decided that they were the perfect group for "Silhouettes". However, Slay and Crewe were actually already familiar with the group, as "Silhouettes" was their third single with them.[2] Neil Arena of the originalMello-Kings maintains that Slay and Crewe had first written the song for their group, but since they were away on tour and unable to record it when Crewe offered it toHerald Records boss Al Silver, the writers opted for the Rays instead.[3]
The song received a break when popular Philadelphiadisc jockeyHy Lit fell asleep with a stack of newly released records on his record player. "Silhouettes" happened to be the last to play, and so it repeated until he woke up. He began to play the song on his show.[1] It became popular enough that Cameo-Parkway picked it up for national distribution, and it eventually reached number 3 on both theR&B Best Sellers chart andBillboard Top 100,[4] while also hitting the top five on both the sales and airplay charts. It was the group's only top 40 hit.
TheCanadian pop groupthe Diamonds, who had experienced success withcover versions of other doo-wop records, quickly put out their own version of the song. They even used the same song, "Daddy Cool", on the B-side of their record as the Rays had.[5] Their version received widespread radio play in a heavily segregated radio market, also reaching the top ten of the Billboard airplay chart. However, it did not reach Billboard's sales chart, and only hit number 60 on the Top 100.[6]
Herman's Hermits recorded the song in 1965 after hearing it on AmericanArmed Forces Radio.[1] It reached number 1 in Canada'sRPM charts. It became their third hit in the "British Invasion" of the US, reaching number 5 on theBillboard Hot 100 and also reached number 3 in the UK. Information fromPeter Noone and others indicates that guitaristVic Flick played on the track, and notJimmy Page as previously thought.[7]
| "Silhouettes" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byCliff Richard | ||||
| from the albumFrom a Distance: The Event | ||||
| B-side | "The Winner" | |||
| Released | 13 August 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 16–17 June 1989 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Cliff Richard | |||
| Cliff Richard singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Silhouettes" onYouTube | ||||
British singer and actorCliff Richard released a live version as a single in 1990 byEMI, reaching number six in Luxembourg and number 10 on theUK Singles Chart.[8] It was the first single culled from his 1990 live albumFrom a Distance: The Event. The single and album were live recordings of two special concerts celebrating Richard's 30th anniversary of his music career. TitledThe Event, the concerts were held at theOriginal Wembley Stadium with an audience of 72,000 each evening on the 16 and 17 June 1989.[9][10][11]
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] | 32 |
| Germany (GfK)[13] | 51 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[14] | 13 |
| Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[15] | 6 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[16] | 10 |
Doo-wop groupThe Silhouettes (known for their hit "Get A Job") were named after the song.[17]
According toJohn Lennon,the Beatles' song "No Reply" (1964) was inspired by "Silhouettes".[18]
The reggae artistDennis Brown recorded a cover in 1972.
The song was featured in the 2005 jukebox musicalJersey Boys as well as inthe film version.
silhouettes slay crewe.
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